I'd-a-thought someone may have noticed her hanging there all those years, and someone finally did. She was kept closely under wraps for two more years, but will make her great debut in New York City next week. Who is she?

Datsmeharse

Ida: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_(fossil) Apple Cider: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_cider And wouldn't you know: the first thing she wants to do is visit the Empire State Building and take the Circle Line Cruise. Tourist. May 19 09, 10:00 PM

demurechicky

For the last 2 years scientists have been researching a 47 million year old fossilised female Lemur monkey, which they have called 'Ida'. It is 95% complete and stands 1' 9" tall. 'Ida' will be unveiled in New York on the bicentenary of Charles Darwin's birth. http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090519/twl-scientists-unveil-missing-link-in-ev-3fd0ae9.html May 19 09, 10:00 PM

queproblema

I'd've avoided an error if I'd've read more carefully: the unveiling was THIS Tuesday (today), not next Tuesday. Sorry. About her hanging, this is cut and pasted from DC's reference: "Ida was unearthed by an amateur fossil-hunter some 25 years ago in Messel pit, an ancient crater lake near Frankfurt, Germany, famous for its fossils. "She was cleaned and set in polyester resin - and incredibly, was hung on a mystery German collector's wall for 20 years. "Prof. Hurum...then assembled a 'dream team' of experts who worked in secret for two years." Now we'll have to watch the controversy her appearance and the claims of her "handlers" will inevitably produce. Are they right? I'm not getting the apple cider bit. May 19 09, 10:33 PM

queproblema

Well, none of us ever pointed out that Prof. Hurum believes Ida is the "missing link," or, more precisely, one of them. "This little creature is going to show us our connection with all the rest of the mammals," said renowned broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough. "The link they would have said until now is missing ... it is no longer missing." http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090519104643.htm At the bottom of that article is a link to Ida's own website. Datsmeharse has provided me with the "missing link" between Ida and apple cider. :D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dku6FDRV_8g May 20 09, 1:36 AM

queproblema

Datsmeharse called this one right: "Tourist." Scientists are now saying this was just a media circus, and that while the fossil is remarkable for its excellent preservation, it is no "missing link" at all. Chris Beard of the Carnegie Museum said, "I’ve been deluged today by journalists regarding this. It is a marketing campaign for the ages. The fossil is nice because it is so complete, but it is a rather vanilla-flavored adapiform that does not differ appreciably from other members of that well-known group of Eocene primates…" http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/loom/2009/05/19/darwinius-it-delivers-a-pizza-and-it-lengthens-and-it-strengthens-and-it-finds-that-slipper-thats-been-at-large-under-the-chaise-lounge-for-several-weeks/ And, " 'On the whole I think the evidence is less than convincing,' said Chris Gilbert, a paleoanthropologist at Yale University." http://www.livescience.com/animals/090520-fossil-reactions.html Ida hida my heada in my handsa if I were a Hurum. This was apparently blatant and successful hucksterism. Sep 15 09, 7:59 PM